Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday's Forecast
Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
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Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 10th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 9th Sep 26 at
4:10PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Windy, gales over Scottish mountains and increasingly on higher tops of England & Wales. Rain starts patchy and light but becomes persistent over western hills, extending eastwards with time. Cloud capping most high tops, lowering in rain particularly in the west.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wind strengthens to gales on tops. Rain develops.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph from dawn, strengthening during morning to sustained 45-50mph over Cairngorm plateau, gusts 60mph for a few hours in middle of day. Easing later afternoon to 30-35mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly arduous in exposure, frequent buffeting knocking you off balance on exposed terrain through middle of day. Moderating later in daytime. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain becomes more persistent, patchier north
Drizzly spotty rain drifts from the southwest in morning, some drier windows northern Cairngorms. Rain extends in from southwest with time, some heavier falls over an hour or so into afternoon, particularly southern areas. By evening, showery rain most common west and southwest areas.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied over high terrain, breaks north; then more extensive in rain
Varied cloud banks above 800m in morning, most persistent towards Drumochter, but breaks towards Cairngorm tops for a time, best north slopes. As rain develops, cloud fills in more extensively on upper slopes above 700-900m, lowest toward south. Bases then lift with some breaks to upper slopes into evening.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% dropping to 10% in rain.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of weak sun, becoming more overcast. Varied visibility, windows where very good, notably north Cairngorms., reducing in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 9C, or 10C northern Cairngorms afternoon, then lowering slightly into night. Feeling like -5C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 11th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 9th Sep 26 at
4:10PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 25-35mph, quite gusty over the Cairngorm plateau; lessening somewhat. Rising onward into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Ease of walking impacted in exposure, some buffeting gusts in the morning; feeling chilly. Deteriorating into night.
How Wet?
Substantially dry
A little drizzly rain over high terrain near and west of the A9 in the morning, this soon fading for dry mountains.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to high tops, breaking up
A deck of cloud covers high Cairngorms, bases lowest around Drumochter/west of A9, some low ragged patches in sheltered areas. Soon lifting, to just banks rolling over the Cairngorm plateau, these increasingly breaking up.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Gradually rising to 60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun in and out, more widely in the east with time. Good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 8C. Feeling like -3 to -5C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 12th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 9th Sep 26 at
4:10PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 60 to 80mph from dawn, lessening only slowly during day to 30-40mph later afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Very difficult conditions with powerful gusts to low levels for several hours, moderating perhaps only later in day; notable chill.
How Wet?
Rain most persistent in morning
Rain fairly widely from dawn, heavier falls toward Drumochter for a few hours. Becoming patchier, may tend to fade out at times in north areas during afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive higher areas
Shrouding most high terrain all day, lowest bases to mid-slopes in rain around south and southwest Cairngorms NP. Bases may rise a little, some high breaks form in north.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, some brighter skies may develop. Visibility reducing in rain, locally poor, then improving to be good if dry.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C, may be briefly up to 11C. Feeling like -5 to -8C directly in wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Changeable west-southwesterlies prevail through mid September; often windy, gale-force winds for periods over higher terrain. A window of drier weather this Friday, then the next frontal system sweeps in overnight into Saturday with a sustained fall of rain moving southeastward, accompanied by upland gales for most places. Improving for better weather on Sunday, then wind and rain returns into Monday, staying showery into Tuesday. A mixed outlook likely continues later next week with rain most frequent in western Scotland. Temperatures varying, some cooler days especially in Scotland, but often fairly mild further south, at times quite warm and humid.